Things I Don't Understand.

Things I don't understand.

It's a long list, and the older I get, the longer it gets. But up near the top is the turmoil over the separation of church and state. Some people can be forced to provide goods and services that conflict with their legitimate and sincere religious beliefs (wedding cake, anyone?). Others, however, claiming that performing a legitimate task commonly associated with their job violates their religious beliefs, are seeking to force their employer to make a special accommodation for them.

A Muslim-American group plans Tuesday to file a discrimination complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission against ExpressJet Airlines for allegedly failing to accommodate a Metro Detroit-area Muslim flight attendant who objects to serving alcohol based on her religious beliefs.

“We have informed ExpressJet of its obligation under the law to reasonably accommodate Ms. Stanley’s religious accommodation request regarding service of alcohol,” Lena Masri, staff attorney for CAIR-Michigan said in a statement.

“Instead, ExpressJet has deliberately chosen to violate Ms. Stanley’s constitutional rights.”

I don't know about you, but if I was on a plane and denied a drink because it violated the stewardess flight attendant's beliefs I'd demand my own accommodation. What next? She'll refuse to serve ham sandwiches? Or, God forbid, bacon?

When I was in the Army facial hair was prohibited because it would interfere with the seal a gas mask formed against your skin. Now, the Pentagon says beards, 'unshorn' hair, beads, turbans, and yarmulkes are permitted as long as they do not "interfere with the proper function of protective clothing and equipment." I'm not sure how a gas mask can seal around a beard, but surely the Pentagon knows what it's doing (/sarc).

The times, they are a'changing ... and confusing the heck out of me.